Aston Villa & Wolves dealt transfer blow as joint target ‘determined’ to sign new contract
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Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers may have to look elsewhere as joint transfer target Nacho Fernandez is reportedly determined to stay at Real Madrid. The Spanish centre back has been heavily linked with a move to either Villa Park or Molineux in January, but both sides have been dealt a blow.
Fernandez, who has been with Los Blancos since he joined the academy in 2001, is hoping to become just the fifth player in Real Madrid history to spend their entire professional career at the club. If he were to stay until he retires, he would be following in the footsteps of Chendo, Manuel Sanchis, Jose Antonio Camacho and Santiago Bernabeu.
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Hide AdAccording to Sport, Villa have been keeping tabs on Fernandez’s situation for a while, with Villarreal defender Pau Torres also on Unai Emery’s radar. It’s said that while he was with the Yellow Submarine, Emery had tried to sign Fernandez to partner with Torres, but a move never materialised.
Reports in AS had suggested Wolves, AC Milan and Roma were other teams keen on Fernandez, with the 33-year-old’s contract set to expire next summer. Julen Lopetegui once managed Fernandez during his own spell at Real Madrid and he was eager to bring him to Molineux.
A new report from AS, however, states Fernandez is ‘determined’ to sign a new contract with the La Liga champions, as he is set to ‘make every effort’ to secure an extension. Fernandez has won a remarkable 19 trophies during his time with Los Blancos, including five Champions League wins and three La Liga titles. Villa and Wolves will now have to set their sights on different defensive options.
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